More Ripples in the Pond -

In terms of human life the costliest battle of World War One - for both sides over 1,600,000 - first use of shock troops, short bombardments, and infiltration on a large scale were here pioneered by the Russian Army. Yet the losses suffered in the offensive sent the country further on the road to revolution.

The Austro - Hungarian Army is destroyed. It's leadership is shown to be truly incompetant, and after this campaign it cannot initiate further offensive action without German help. Indeed, the Empire itself was damaged behind repair.

One country falls into revolution and the other into dissolution. New countries born from the dissolved empire, Czechoslovakia and Poland, figured prominently as Europe slipped into World War Two. Austria has been important hasn't it? Von Hotzendorff's bellicositywas prominent in the opening stages of World War One. Other pieces of Austria Hungary, Bessarabia and Romania, figured prominentlyin Stalin's calculations that made Hitler so nervous about Romania - his main source of oil- which contributed to the start of planningfor Barbarossa.

Guy Sajer wrote in his book "The Forgotten Soldier", that one should not read Military History in a comfortable chair by the fireplace. It should be read outside in the cold, a rainstorm, scorching heat while thirsty in a heavy wool uniform, boots that don't fit: march 40 miles with nothing to eat in a blizzard clothed in summer uniform because winter's has not been issued with no sleep. Finally, add fear